For this our forth day of Christmas, we focus on the new phenomenon of
using social networking sites to save death row animals. If you are familiar
with Facebook, you can find an abundance of pages for Humane Societies,
SPCAs, Rescues and individual rescuers. You will also find dogs and cats
that are in kill shelters with a short period of time to find rescue before
they are killed. Nowhere will you find a stronger or more passionate
advocacy, than for the animals waiting to die at the NYC Animal Care and
Control (ACC). Here are just a couple of the pages that list and advocate
for New York's death row animals:

The way it works is that every day, when NYC ACC releases it's New Hope
Lists of dogs and cats that are on the "euthanasia list" (from here-on-in we
will refer to this as the "kill list" as it is not euthanasia if the animal
is not incurably ill or suffering without hope of alleviation). These lists
go only to agencies approved by the Mayor's Alliance for New York Animals
headed by Jane Hoffman. The lists come with warnings that it is forbidden to
cross post this information outside of the approved New Hope groups. When
the lists are published, approved rescues have a short window of opportunity
to save an animal from being killed.

Pets on Death Row lists all of the cats on the list along with pictures
and profiles that come directly from ACC. Urgent Part 2 lists all of the
canines. Then the mad scramble begins. In some cases, rescuers have
sometimes as little as a few hours to find funding, foster homes, transport
and a New Hope partner to pull the listed animal. Sound impossible? It is
done day after day by dedicated animal lovers who don't seem to get a lot of
sleep. The community effort is amazing....from cross posting.....to running
chip-ins for funding....arranging pick up and transport and one of the
hardest parts, finding a foster or forever home for the animals. But, it is
done every day. These efforts have saved hundreds if not thousands of
animals that were doomed.

Many of the animals come out of ACC with kennel cough (canine coughs) and
upper respiratory infections (feline colds). Most probably contract the
illness at the shelter itself. Both are very easily treatable, yet we
continue to see animals every night on the kill list for nothing more than
kennel cough and URIs. The fine work of the groups listed above was
highlighted in a two part investigative report that was recently presented
by WABC Eyewitness News. As part of Saturday's 5th Day of Christmas, we will
post the links to the video clips of both reports and tell you how you can
help us continue to bring media attention to the plight on New York's
shelter animals.

TODAY'S ACTIONS

If you have a Facebook page, please check out the links above and "LIKE"
these pages. The pages have Notes sections that describe how they go about
the work of saving animals. Please be respectful of their rules and if you
do not understand how it all works, ask someone for help or ask questions.
Most experienced rescuers will be happy to assist.

If you don't have a Facebook page, it is easy to register for one. It
will open up a whole new world of opportunity for you to help save animals
lives. Cross-posting (sharing) the pictures and profiles of the animals
on the kill lists, you can help save lives and bring more attention to what
goes on in New York's shelters. If you need help with this or don't
understand how you can help, contact No Kill New York either by e-mail or
you can "LIKE" the No Kill New York Facebook page and leave a message on our
wall.Please make sure that you show your appreciation for what these
animal advocates do. It is hard work. There is a lot of tension and many
hours spent working on rescues. They experience great sorrow when a rescue
falls through. Please thank them for their hard work and dedication. They
provide a critical service to animals, who don't have anyone else.

No Kill New York is a coalition of individuals and groups dedicated to
ending the abuse, the exploitation and the killing of animals. It is our
primary mission to end the killing of animals in the NY Shelter System. We
believe that animals have the inherent right to live, and to be treated with
respect and dignity. No animal should be killed for any reason other than
for dire and untreatable medical conditions. No animal should be treated as
a disposable object.